34 A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 
cially the Osteoglossum, the Sudis, &c., interesting on ac- 
count of their relation to an extinct fossil type, that of the 
Coelacanths.* 
April -17th. Yesterday was Easter Sunday, and the day 
was beautiful. The services from Bishop Potter in the 
morning were very interesting ; the more so for us on ac- 
count of the God speed he gave us. Wind and weather 
permitting, it is the last Sunday we shall pass on board ship 
together. The Bishop spoke with much earnestness and 
sympathy of the objects of the expedition, addressing him- 
self especially to the young men, not only with reference 
to their duties as connected with a scientific undertaking, 
but as American citizens in a foreign country at this time 
of war and misapprehension. 
This morning we were quite entertained at meeting a 
number of the so-called " Catamarans," the crazy crafts of 
the fishermen, who appear to be amphibious animals on this 
coast. Their boats consist of a few logs lashed together, 
over which the water breaks at every moment without ap- 
parently disturbing the occupants in the least. They fish, 
walk about, sit, lie down or stand, eat, drink, and sleep, to 
all appearance as contented and comfortable as we are in 
our princely steamer. Usually they go into port at night- 
fall, but are occasionally driven out to sea by the wind, and 
may sometimes be met with two hundred miles and more 
from the shore. To-day we have fairly come upon the South 
American coast. Yesterday we could catch sight occasion 
* This lecture was accompanied by careful descriptions and drawings on the 
blackboard, showing the structural differences between these groups These 
are omitted, as they would have little interest for the general reader. The 
chief object in reporting these lectures is to show the aims which Mr. Agassiz 
placed before himself and his companions in laying out the work of the expe- 
dition, and these are made sufficiently clear without further scientific details. 
